Bill Text: HI HB1577 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Detector-dogs.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-01-28 - Referred to PVM/TRN, JUD, FIN, referral sheet 6 [HB1577 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2019-HB1577-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1577 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to detector-dogs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
PART
I
SECTION
1. The devastating impact of invasive
species to Hawaii's agriculture, environment, natural resources, public health,
and economy cannot be denied or overstated.
In recognition of the consequences of the influx of invasive species
into the State, since 2008, the legislature has supported and provided for the
department of agriculture biosecurity program.
The
legislature finds that funding a detector-dog program will improve the
effectiveness of the State's biosecurity program. The legislature further finds that a detector-dog
program will provide an important resource to improve interdiction of invasive
species coming into Hawaii. These dogs
excel in the detection of flora, snakes, and aquatic animals and in public
relations. In airport baggage claim
areas, the presence of detector-dogs alone assists in deterring smuggling of
commodities through the passenger terminal area.
The
purpose of this part is to appropriate funds for detector-dogs in the Hawaii
invasive species detection and prevention program.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $
or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same
sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for detector-dogs
in the Hawaii invasive species detection and prevention program within the
department of agriculture.
The sums
appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for purposes of
this part.
PART
II
SECTION
3. The legislature finds that over
ninety per cent of the more than two hundred thousand shipping cargo containers
that arrive in Hawaii each year are from the continental United States. Only a small fraction of these containers,
however, are inspected by government agencies. Shipping companies conduct random checks of
less than five per cent of incoming cargo containers, and these inspections are
mainly conducted to ensure that senders of cargo have been properly charged
applicable tariffs and fees. The lack of
sufficient cargo inspections means that there is ample opportunity for importing
illegal fireworks and explosives to the State.
The
legislature further finds that increased inspections need to be carefully
crafted to avoid delays and inefficiencies in harbor operations that could
impede commerce. One promising approach
is the use of dogs to inspect cargo after arrival at the harbors and transfer
for inter-island transport but prior to retrieval by recipients or distributors.
The
purpose of this part is to increase capacity for random inspections of incoming
cargo for illegal fireworks and explosives by increasing funding for
detector-dog inspections within the department of transportation and
establishing a pilot program that uses dogs to inspect cargo shipments after
arrival at state harbors and transfer for inter-island transport.
SECTION 4. (a) The
departments of defense and transportation, in consultation with federal and
state agencies and private organizations involved with shipping cargo into the
State and inter-island, shall develop and implement a three-year pilot program to
use dogs to inspect incoming cargo for illegal fireworks and explosives sent to
the State and between the islands. The
program shall begin no later than January 1, 2020, and shall terminate on
December 31, 2022.
(b)
The pilot program established under
subsection (a) shall include the use of dogs to inspect incoming cargo that,
after arrival into the State and transfer for inter-island transport, is to be
transported from any harbor to:
(1) A freight forwarder warehouse or other facility
where consolidated cargo in transport from any state harbor to its final
destination is segregated and prepared for delivery; and
(2) Any other commercial facility where cargo
containers transported from any state harbor are unloaded.
SECTION
5. No later than twenty days prior to
the commencement of the regular sessions of 2021 and 2022, the department of
transportation shall submit to the legislature a report on the implementation
of the pilot program established pursuant to this part. The report shall include findings and
recommendations, including costs expended to date, the estimated cost of
operating the detector-dog program on a permanent basis, and any proposed
legislation.
SECTION
6. There is appropriated out of the
federal funds received under the homeland security grant program the sum of
$ or so much thereof as may be
necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 to establish and administer the pilot
program authorized by this part.
The
sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of transportation
for the purposes of this part.
PART III
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Detector-Dog; Cargo; Invasive Species; Fireworks; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for detector-dogs for the State's biosecurity program. Authorizes and funds a pilot program using dogs to detect fireworks in inbound cargo from state harbors and inter-island transport.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
